


Royals

by buoyantsaturn



Series: auctober 2019 [3]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-09 12:04:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20853143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buoyantsaturn/pseuds/buoyantsaturn
Summary: Nico finds himself married to Prince Will for his parent's financial gain.





	Royals

**Author's Note:**

> hello and happy auctober!!  
im not super happy with this fic but i hope yall like it anyway!!  
its a prompt fic so once again, title is from that lorde song

Nico was allowed to meet his future husband once before the day of their wedding - the evening beforehand, during the rehearsal dinner. 

Prince Will was seated beside him, chatting politely with Nico’s parents as the first course of the meal was served. Nico tried to do the same with the king and queen, though he couldn’t keep his mind from wandering back to the man sitting beside him. He was just so  _ handsome, _ and Nico knew there was no way that Will would ever think the same of him. What would a prince like him want with the son of a duke, anyway?

Nico wished there was something,  _ anything _ about Will that he could dislike, just to soften the blow a little bit, but no matter how hard he tried, Nico couldn’t find a single thing. He was polite, and charming,  _ so nice _ to everyone he interacted with - even the servants as they brought the next course of dinner. 

That was it - Will didn’t like men. He wasn’t given any more choice in this marriage than Nico was, though at least Nico’s parents had honored his wishes to marry a man. Will’s eyes lingered on the serving women as he smiled at them and thanked them (he really was the most polite prince Nico had ever met), and Nico realized that he would be stuck with no hope of love for the rest of his life.

Then again...as Will set a hand over Nico’s on the table and smiled that dazzling smile, Nico started to dream for a love he knew he would never have.

Will’s future husband was  _ beautiful. _ He had eyes that Will could stare into for  _ hours, _ if only Nico would let him. He seemed shy, which only intrigued Will more, and made him want to sneak out to the guest rooms later that night just to spend more time with Nico before their wedding. He didn’t think Nico would appreciate the surprise visit, though, so he settled for escorting Nico back to his room after dinner and pressing a kiss to his hand as he said goodnight. 

Will laid awake in his bed for half the night with Nico on his mind. He’d learned much about him during dinner, about his studies and his sword fighting abilities, and even about how adamant he’d been about marrying a man rather than a woman - Will was almost certain that Nico hadn’t been paying attention to that part of the conversation, otherwise he would have no doubt been embarrassed.

Will dreamed of standing at the altar with Nico, finding himself lost in Nico’s eyes until he was finally given permission to lean down and kiss his new husband. He woke up before he could, though, and laid in his bed for almost an hour as he imagined his new life with Nico. 

Is this what people meant when they talked about love at first sight?

The night of their wedding, Nico and Will were taken to their new home, and for the first time, the two were completely alone.

Will stretched his arms over his head and sighed. “God, today was exhausting, don’t you think?”

Nico picked at a fuzz on the cuff of his sleeve. “Um.”

Will shed his jacket and loosened his tie, his eyes locked on Nico as he did so. “As much as I’d like to stay up with you all night so that we could get to know each other, I think I’d probably fall asleep as soon as I sat down.” He chuckled at himself, hoping to ease Nico’s obvious discomfort, though it didn’t seem to do much. Nico hadn’t moved more than three feet from the doorway, while Will had crossed the room and thrown open the closet doors. 

“Oh, good!” Will exclaimed at the sight of the closet filled with clothes. “I asked that both of our wardrobes be unpacked here for us, and here it all is! I hope you don’t have any particular organization system for your clothes, but if you do, I can always request that someone come fix it in the morning.”

“No, I’m sure it’s fine,” Nico replied quietly, and Will was pretty sure that that was the first time he’d spoken since they’d recited their vows. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

Will stepped back toward Nico and took one of his hands in his. “I assure you, you won’t be any bother at all. You’re married to the prince, now, remember. Anyone would be happy to fulfill any request you might have - even me.”

Nico’s cheeks flushed beautifully, and he ducked his head to avoid Will’s gaze. 

Will was unable to avoid the temptation of kissing Nico’s hand once more, and so he did. “I say we both change into some more comfortable clothes, and go from there. Thoughts?”

Nico nodded slowly. “That sounds fine, Your Highness.”

He squeezed Nico’s hand. “Nico, please. I’m your  _ husband - _ I’d like you to call me Will.”

Nico had stepped into an adjacent room to change his clothes, and when he came back, Will was lying shirtless across half of the bed, humming a tune and waiting for Nico’s return. Will smiled at him when he noticed Nico standing by the doorway, and Nico found himself frozen in place by the sight in front of him. Will looked like he was  _ carved from marble, _ how could he settle for someone like Nico?

“Good, you’re back! I was afraid I was going to fall asleep without a chance to say goodnight.”

Nico eyed the space beside Will on the bed - he was probably expected to sleep beside his husband, but Will would rather have the bed to himself, right? “Oh. Right, well, goodnight.” He turned his back to Will, making to leave so that he could find someplace, any place else to sleep.

Will sat up on the bed. “Where are you going?”

Nico looked back at him. “I thought I would find somewhere else to sleep…”

“You don’t need to do that, this bed is plenty big enough for--” Will hesitated, seeing the apprehension in Nico’s eyes. “Or you should take the bed! I’ll sleep on the couch nextdoor.”

Nico frowned. “No, you don’t have to do that--”

Will rose from the bed and stepped toward him. “And neither do you--”

“But you’re the  _ prince--” _

“And you’re my husband!” Will set his hands on Nico’s arms comfortingly. “I don’t want to do anything that might make you uncomfortable. Please, take the bed.”

Nico huffed, glaring up at Will, which was probably the first time he’d shown such strong emotion in front of him, then dropped his gaze as he gave in. “I guess… You’re right, the bed is big enough for the both of us.”

Will tipped his head down to meet Nico’s eyes. “Are you sure?”

Nico nodded, and so Will pulled him gently toward the bed. After they settled down on their opposite sides of the bed, Will shut off the bedside lamp, and rolled onto his side to face Nico - he could just make out the shape of his husband in the dark. 

“Nico?” Will whispered, reaching a hand across the sheets between them, but stopped short.

“Yes?” Nico tipped his head to face Will.

“Would it be alright if I...kissed you goodnight?” 

He heard Nico’s breath catch in the otherwise silent room. “That would be...okay.”

Will pulled himself closer, placing a soft hand on Nico’s cheek, and pressed his lips to Nico’s for just a few seconds. “Goodnight, my darling.”

When they fell asleep, Nico and Will laid on opposite sides of the bed, their backs to each other, though when Nico woke the next morning, Will was plastered to his back with an arm and a leg thrown over him. Nico was torn between ripping himself away in discomfort and enjoying the moment while it lasted. Who knew how many mornings like this he would be allowed?

He lost his opportunity to choose when Will started to wake, tightening his hold on Nico and mumbling into the back of his neck, “Good morning, darling.”

“Good morning,” Nico replied, his voice strangled. He hurriedly untangled himself from Will’s octopus-like hold on him, and rose from the bed. “I’m going to go see about breakfast.”

Before Nico could make it across the room, Will stopped him. “Nico? Can I talk to you first? Just for a moment.”

Nico spun back around, nervously hugging his arms over his stomach. This was it - Will was going to tell him that there wouldn’t ever be anything between them, just a financial agreement between their parents. He watched as Will sat up against the headboard, rubbing tiredly at his face with one hand while patting the space beside him with the other. Nico returned to the bed, sitting down, and instantly he found his hands held by Will.

“You don’t seem all that happy about our arrangement,” Will started, staring down at their hands as he rubbed his thumbs across Nico’s knuckles. “It’s understandable, of course, being upset that you couldn’t pick your own partner. I was upset, too, when my parents informed me that I would be married for financial gain - but then I met you.

“Nico, you are...quite possibly the most attractive man I’ve ever met. You are  _ beautiful, _ and intelligent, and funny, and from what I’ve heard about you during our wedding, incredibly talented and caring. I know this is only the third day that we’ve even  _ known _ each other, but I truly believe that I am going to fall in love with you. I would greatly appreciate it if you would give me the chance to make you feel the same.”

He could feel his hands shaking despite Will’s firm grip on them. He stared into Will’s eyes and took a deep breath. “Of course I will.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!! check out solangeloweek on tumblr for more auctober stuff!!


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